Corn-harvester.



No. 815,530. I V PATENTEDIIMAR, 20, 1906.

. M. n. HATCH.

CORN HARVESTER.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.8, 1905.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q q i/bmaooc a PATBNTED MAR. 20, 1906".-

3M. 1).; HATCH. 001m EARVBSTER. APPLICATION FILE-I? APR. 8, 1995.

BET 2.

gsnnnms- N0. s15,5s0. PATENTED MAR.20, 1906.

M. D. HATCH.

CORN HARVBSTER.

APPLICATION FILED APRJL 1905. l v

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

M IML PATENTED MAR. 20, 1906.

M. D. HATCH. 001m HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8, 1905 {SHEETS-SHEET 4.

qwizhwweo ye i resorted to Without departing from the spirit FNITED TESPATENT oFinon. l

1). HATCH, ortirieom, NEBRASKA.

oonwmevssT-ee.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed April 8, 1905. SerialNo. 254,554.

Patented lvfarch 20,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MELVIN Da HATCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lincoln, in the county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska,-have invented a'new and useful Corn-Harvester, of which the following isa specification. I v

The invention relates to improvements in corn-harvesters.

The object of the resent invention is to improve the construction ofcorn-harvesters andto provide a corn-harvesting machine of light draftadapted to be pulled by two or three horses and designed to be driventhrough the rows of corn and capable of picking or snapping ears fromthe stalk and of delivering the former to a wagon or other receptacle;and of discharging the stalks from the machine.

A further object of the invention'is to pro- 1 ;vide a machine of thischaracter capable of V removing all the corn from the smallest nubofsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the corn-harvesterconstructed in ac cordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3*is'a plan view of the rear portion of themachine on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a similarview of the frontportion of the machine, Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section takensubstantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detailplan view illustrating the con-' struction of the oorn butters. Fig. 7is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 8 and 9 are detailviews" illustrating the con struction of the pickingmechanism,

Like numerals of reference designate corre-- sponding parts in all thefigures of the drawsl 1 designates the mam or supporting frame topthereof.

'of the corn-harvesting machine, which is provided at opposite sideswith su porting or carrying Wheels 2 and 3, mounted upon suitable shaftsor axles 4 and 5, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Thesuportin frame, which may be constructed in any desired manner, isprovided with up right'front and rear arched portions 6 and 7 the reararched portion being adapted to slip-- port the rear or upper ends ofthe devices for removing the ears from the stalks, said devices, ashereinafter fully explained, being arranged at an inclination, asclearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, to enable them to operate onthe stalks from the bottom to the The carr ing-wheel 3, which may be ofany desired construction, is shown with a smooth periphery, while theother car'-- rying wheel 2, which operates in the nature of a drivewheel, is provided with a broad periphery, having transverse ribs orother suitable means for preventing the wheel from slipping. This wheel2 is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft or axle 4,which also has'mounted upon it a drive-gear 8, from which ;rnotion is communicatedtothe mechanism for removing the ears from the stalks and for conveyingthe ears to the desired receptacle. in practice, any suitable clutchmechanism may be employed for throwing the machine out of operation, aswill beread-ily understood.. The 8 gear receives a sprocket-chain 9which extends rearward to and is arranged on a sprocket-pinion 10 of acounter-shaft 11', disposed transversely of the machine and extendingfrom one side to the other thereof for transmitting motion to the several devices to be operated. The transverse shaft, which is journaled insuitable bearings,

is provided at opposite sides of the machine with bevel-gears 12, whichmesh with corresponding bevel-gears 13' of rear upwardlyextending shafts14,-arranged at an inclina tion and carrying spljocket-wheels 15; Therear sprocket -wheels 15 receive endless sprocketchains 16, which arearranged at an inclination and which extend from the saidsprocket-wheels .15 of the back of the machine to the front sprocketgwheels 17,

, mounted upon upwardly-extending inclined shafts 18, arranged inparallelism with the rear shafts J 14. These endless sprocketchains areprovided at intervals with projecting spurs or teeth 19, adapted toengage and carry inward or rearward the stalks of corn;

,These endless sprocketacha'ins, which form feeding mechanism, operatebetween upper and lower corn-butters 20 and 21, arranged in pairs atopposite sides of the machine and adapted to engage the corn and throwthe same inwardly toward the center of the machine upon pickingmechanism, hereinafter described. The corn-butters consist oflongitudinal bars, which are oppositely reciprocated by means of upperand lower eccentrics 22 and 23, arranged in pairs and mounted on thefront and rear shafts. The bars of the corn-butters are provided atintervals with approximately triangular lugs or teeth 24, beveled attheir front edges and provided at their rear edges with shouldersarranged at right angles to the bars of the corn-butters and adapted tofeed the corn into the machine. The corn-butters, which intermittentlyand alternately engage the stalks of corn, move inwardly and outwardlyin a direction laterally of the machine,and they also reciprocatebackwardly and forwardly or longitudinally of the machine, the rearwardmovement occurring when the corn-butters are at the limit of theirinward movement or during such movement and the forward movementoccurring as the butters move outwardly away from the corn. Theeccentrics are oppositely arranged, so that one of the butters of eachpair is in engagement with the stalks practically the entire time thelatter are operated on by the machine. The eccentrics operate insuitable bearings or boxes 25, which extend laterally from the outeredges of the bars of the cornbutters; but cranks or any other eccentricdevices may be employed for actuating the corn-butters.

The sets of picking mechanism, which are located at opposite sides of acentral endless carrier or conveyer, are adapted to pick or snap theears from the stalks, and each set comprises a pair of picker-blades 26and 27 and an endless chain 28, provided at intervals with cutter-blades 29, operating between the picker-blades, as clearly indicated inFig. 5 of the drawings. The picker-blades are reciprocatedlongitudinally or backwardly and forwardly and are moved upwardly anddownwardly, the backward movement occurring during the forward movementand the outward movement occurring during the downward movement. Thismovement of the picker blades is effected by means ofoppositely-disposed inner and outer eccentrics 30 and 31, arranged inpairs and mounted on front and rear shafts 32 and 33. The picker-bladesare provided at their ends with bearings or boxes 33 for the receptionof the eccentrics, and the said blades are also provided at their upperedges with saw-teeth 34 and 35, arranged at an inclination and convering toward the blades of the endless cutter 'ormed by the endlesssprocket-chain 28 and its blades 29. The ears of corn falling upon thepicking mechanism are snapped or picked from the stalks and are causedto fall upon the centrally-arranged endless carrier or conveyer 36, andthe machine is capable of picking all the ears from the stalks, ettingthe smallest nubbins, as well as the largest ears. Each end of the rearshaft 33 is connected with the counter-shaft 11 by spurgears 38 and 39,whereby motion is communicated from the counter-shaft to the pickingmechanism.

The centrally-arranged conveyer consists of an endless apron arranged onupper and lower rolls 40 and 41, the upper roll being connected bysprocket-gearing with the counter-shaft 11. One of the journals of theupper roll 40 is extended and carries a sprocketpinion 42, whichreceives a sprocket-chain 43, and the latter extends to a sprocket-wheel44, which is keyed or otherwise secured to the counter-shaft 11.

The machine is adapted to operate on two rows of corn and is providedwith central and side guiding devices 45 and 46, which are adapted toguide the stalks into the longitudinal spaces or passages 47, lyingbetween the corn-butters and the picking mechanism,and the said guidingdevices are also adapted to pick up fallen stalks, so that the machinewill be enabled to remove the ears from all the corn, whether the stalksbe standing erect or lying down. The central guiding device 45, which isconstructed of any suitable material, is substantially V-shaped andconsists of two forwardly-eonverging sides or wings arranged at'aninclination and adapted to separate the stalks in two rows. The frame ofthe machine is provided with inner longitudinal bars 48, located atopposite sides of the central conveyer and having converging frontportions 49, which are arranged at and secured to the inner faces of thesides or wings of the central guiding device. The central guiding deviceis also supported by a bracket or hanger 50, consisting of a central barand side braces 5 1 The central bar extends d ownward from the frontarch of the main frame to the apex of the front guiding device, as

clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the braces 51, which arelocated at op )osite sides of the upper portion of the centra bar,extend from the same to the top of the front arch of the main frame. Theside guiding devices 46, which are spaced at their rear ends from thesides of the central guiding device, diverge forwardly and are taperedtoward their front or outer ends and are adapted to pick off fallenstalks and guide the same to the spaces or passages 47.

The machine is provided at the side at which the wheel 2 is located witha pole or draft-wheel 52, adapted to receive the draftanimals, which mayconsist of two or three horses.

As the machine is drawn forward it operates on two rows of corn, thestalks being disto carry the ears to a wagon or other recep- V .tacle.In practice the wagon will be preferably arranged at the off side of themachine in position for the rear conveyor to discharge into it.

Aseat 55, which is mounted on the main or supporting frame in advance ofthe wheel 2, is provided for theaccommodationof the driver, who willthus be in position to control thehorses of the machine and those of"the wagon.

- The rear conveyer may be of any desired construction, and it consistsof a suitable frame or casing and an endless apron mounted on suitablerolls. The lower roll or shaft of the rear-conveyor carries a bevel-gear56,

which meshes with a similar gear 57 of a.

short transverse shaft 58, and the 'latteris connected bysprocket-gearing 59 with the shaft 11. p s v Having thus fully describedmy invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is s a 1. In a machine of the class described, the combinationwith reciprocatable picking devices to engage the ears of corn, andmeans forcausing the picking devices to alternately engage the corn, ofcutting mechanism co- 0 crating-with the picking devices to remove t ecars from the stalks.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with a frame having a passage forthe stalks of corn, ofcutting mechanism located at the inner side of the passage, cornbutterslocated at the outer side of the passage, means for carrying thecorn-butters alternately in'engagement with the corn, andindependently-movable feed mechanism cooperating with the corn-butters.

' 3. In a machine of'the class described, the combination of a framehaving. a assage for the stalks of corn, cutting mech cated at the innerside of the passage, cornbutters located at the outer side of the passage and extending lon itudinally thereof, and independently-mova lefeed mechanism also located atthe outer side of the passage andextending longitudinally of. and cooper ating with the corn-butters.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with cuttingmechanism, of spacedreciprocatable corn-butters also spaced laterallyfrom the cutting mechanism toprovide an intervening passage for thestalks of corn and arranged one above the other, and

anism' 10- endless'feeding mechanism operating in the space between thecorn-butters and cooperating 'w1th the same.-

5. 'In a machine of the class described, the

combination with cutting mechanism, of spaced reciprocatablecorn-butters alsospaced laterally from the cutting mechanism toproranged one above the other, shafts provided with means for carryingthe corn-butters alternately inengagement with the corn, and endlessfeed mechanism also mounted on the said shafts and operating in thespace between the corn-butters and cooperating with the same.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means forremoving the ears of corn from their stalks, of corn-butters,

means for carrying the same alternately in en-:

gagement with the corn, and independentlymovable feed mechanismcooperating with the corn-butters.

7. In a machine of the class described, the

of corn from their stalks, of spaced corn-butters, and feed mechanismoperating between the corn-butters.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means forseparating ears of corn from their stalks, of spaced reciprocatablecorn-butters, and endless feed mechanism operating between thecorn-butters.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination with means forseparating the ears of'corn from their stalks, of reciprocatablecorn-butters, means for causing the corn-butters to alternately engagethe corn, and feed mechanism movable independently of and operating inconjunction withthe corn butters. I a

1 0. In a machine of the class described, the

combination with means for separating ears of corn from their stalks, ofspaced corn-butters, means for operating the corn butters for causingthe same to alternately engage the corn, and endless feed mechanismoperating in the space between the corn-butters.

' 11. In a machine of the class described, the combination with shafts,of eccentrics arranged in pairs on the shafts and extending in'oppositedirections therefrom, corn-butters consisting of bars connected with andoperated by the eccentrics, sprocket-wheels also mounted on the shaftsbetween the eccentrics, and a sprocket-chain arranged on thesprocket-wheels and provided with means for feeding the corn. v

12. In a machine of the'class described, the combinationwith pickingdevices, and cutting mechanism cooperating therewith to revide a passagefor the stalks of corn and ar- I combination with means for separatingears move the ears from the stalks, of corn-butt ers spaced laterallyfrom the picking devices and the cutting mechanism to provide apassage'for the stalks of corn, and arranged above the said pickingdevices and thelcutting mechanism in position to throw the corn towardthe same.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passage for the stalks of corn, reciprocatable picking deviceslocated at the inner side of the passage, means for causing the pickingdevices to alternately engage the corn, and independently-operablecutting mechanism also located at the inner side of the passage.

14. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passage for the stalks of corn, cutting mechanism located atthe inner side of the passage, a pair of reciprocatable corn-butterslocated at the outer side of the passage, shafts provided with means foractuating the cornbutters, and enldess feed mechanism mounted on thesaid shafts.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of movablepicking devices, means for causing the picking devices to alternatelyengage the corn, and an endless cutter cooperating with the pickingdevices.

-16. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofreciprocatable picking devices arranged in spaced relation, means forcausing the picking devices to alternately engage the corn, and a cutteroperating between the picking devices.

17. In a machine of the class described, the combination of movablepicking devices arranged in spaced relation, means for causing thepicking devices to alternately engage the corn, and an endless cutteroperating in the space between the picking devices.

18. In a machine of the class described, the combination with spacedreciprocatable picking devices, of cutting mechanism operating in thespace between the picking devices to remove the ears from the stalks.

19. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofreciprocatable picking devices consisting of toothed blades, means forcausing the picking devices to alternately engage the corn, and anendless cutting device provided at intervals with blades.

20. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofreciprocatable picking devices arranged in spaced relation and providedwith converging teeth, means for causing the picking devices toalternately engage the corn, and a cutting device operating between theteeth.

2-1. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofreciprocatable picking devices arranged in spaced relation and providedwith converging teeth, means for causing the picking devices toalternately engage the corn,

and an endless cutter located between the picking devices and providedat intervals with blades operating between the converging teeth.

22. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passage for the stalks of corn, a pair of reciprocatablepicking devices located at the inner side of the passage, shaftsprovided with means for carrying the picking devices alternately inengagement with the corn, and an endless cutting device also mounted onthe said shafts.

23. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passage for the stalks of corn, reciprocatable corn-butterslocated at the outer side of the passage, means for reciprocating thecorn-butters and for moving the same laterally of the said passage toalternately carry the corn-butters in and out of engagement with thecorn, independently-movable feed mechanism cooperating with thecorn-butters, reciprocatable corn-pickers located at the inner side ofthe passage, means for alternately carrying the corn-pickers inengagement with the corn, and an independently-movable cuttercooperating with the corn-pickers.

24. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a framehaving a passa e for the stalks of corn, reciprocatable cornutterslocated at the outer side of the passage, shafts provided with means forcarrying the corn-butters alternately in engagement with the corn,endless feed mechanism also mounted on the said shafts, reciprocatablecornpickers located at the inner side of the passage, shafts providedwith means for carrying the corn-pickers alternately in engagement withthe corn, and an endless cutter cooperating with the corn-pickers andmounted on the shafts of the same.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination of pickingdevices, cutting mechanism to pick and remove the cars from the stalks,and corn-butters spaced laterally from the picking devices and thecutting mechanism to provide a passage for the stalks of corn, saidcorn-butters being arranged to operate in planes perpendicular to theplanes in which the picking devices and the cutting mechanism operate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MELVIN DVHATCH.

Witnesses:

W. E. KERR, GEO. Gowme.

